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I just have a curious question to everyone. What are the reasons you watch Strike Witches?

Mostly because the characters were amusing. Followed by nice animation for the battle scenes, not-so-subtle yuri, and lastly, a very small percentage, pantless girls flying around.
There's a reason it's a show aimed at guys. The general male populace isn't exactly picky when it comes to fanservice but they do like logic, so shows like this which at least offer a reason for the fanservice, no matter how cheesy, do quite good.
I'll admit it: Strike Witches is in now way a brilliant show. But that doesn't make it not enjoyable. It's silly humour, occasional nice action, plenty of fanservice. Three things that I can enjoy.
If I wanted to watch a deep and engrossing show, I'd go watch something like Haibane Renmei. But this suits me fine for a scenario where I just want to laugh and enjoy.

Those who are mostly into fanservice and may not care about the military motifs and technical aspects..

..and those who'd like the show expand on it's military oriented theme.

I'll admit I may be part of the latter type.

I guess this will only be and always be a generic loli ecchi show. ^

I just want to enjoy the show. If it makes me laugh, I'll enjoy it. As I said, the fanservice and moe-aspects only consist of a small percentage of what I enjoy about the show. If the show was to improve the military concepts and the technical build-up of the Strikers (what I think you're talking about), that could probably easily supplant the fanservice and moe aspect for me. I just discounted them before, because as you said, this is going to be a loli ecchi show. I can't really say generic, because the concept is kinda of abstract. If they got some good writers, it might actually metamorph into a higher-quality show, but the chances of that are still low.

It has just as much in common with stuff like Lime-iro Senkitan/Ryukitan, both of which were quite similar. The quasi-magical girl format I suppose. And even then, removing it is still taking away a part of the show's identity, for better or worse. The meme has become ingrained in internet culture.

Oh please if the girls looked like this:
Instead really nothing that matters to the story or characters would be changed or lost... Well aside from having to defend the shows/universes merits to people that point and laugh at you for watching it anyway. Sometimes being known for something also isn't exactly a good thing, being known for running around without pants might get you noticed, but it also gets you laughed at and dismissed out of hand by many people.

Quote:

But not the only draw. That's something unique to every individual.

My point though is that it is a very real part of it so trying to dismiss it totally and act like it's totally unimportant is just silly.

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Originally Posted by pauldy

That aside..
I've got a techy question to techy people here.

How come Minna's BF109G-2 striker has these two bumps on each of her two leg units? Eila have the same G-2 units but her's doesn't have any bump.

Is that some sort of extra fuel tank or additional parts to the engines?

I couldn't find any good images to compare them and honestly can't be assed to skim through the episodes at the moment, but I have a half assed guess. 109 models that were upgraded with the newer 13mm guns in place of the old 7.92mm models had a pair of large bulged cowlings just aft of the engine to accommodate the new and larger weapons. These guns didn't become standard until I think the G-6 model though 109 during the war came in a blinding array of variants and sub-types though I don't think I've heard of a G-2 with the 13mm weapons. Still if the artists ended up using the wrong model when designing it that could explain it. (It's worth noting Wilcke flew a G-6 later in his career and was eventually killed in one)

I enjoy all the parts of the show. If it didn't have the moe aspect, it'd be some generic WWII drama. If it didn't have the military aspect, it'd be some generic yuri fanservice show. It's their union that makes the show unique.

On the other hand, I also genuinely enjoy the story and the show's positive messages. The show has a healing effect. And the whole feminization of war and history is just really fascinating on semiotic level. I enjoy Strike Witches on tons of levels...I could fanboy on and on about it. Someone else said they don't think SW is a "brilliant" show. I honestly do think it's brilliant.

(Should I mention that I own three SW dakimakuras? And I'm trying to restrain myself from getting more of the cast?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tk3997

Oh please if the girls looked like this:

Shimada Fumikane's character designs are the heart of the show, and it's very origin. You can't change that without tearing out it's soul.

It's not just about the story or characters. It's about the whole aesthetic/setting/world of the show.

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Originally Posted by bombyethan1000

So...all the producers want you to do is to buy their dvds...

Though considering the forum we're on, a lot of the people here will just be downloading illegal rips of the DVDs online and not actually contributing back to the show's production (but that's a whole other rant).

Oh please if the girls looked like this:
Instead really nothing that matters to the story or characters would be changed or lost... Well aside from having to defend the shows/universes merits to people that point and laugh at you for watching it anyway. Sometimes being known for something also isn't exactly a good thing, being known for running around without pants might get you noticed, but it also gets you laughed at and dismissed out of hand by many people.

My point though is that it is a very real part of it so trying to dismiss it totally and act like it's totally unimportant is just silly.

I couldn't find any good images to compare them and honestly can't be assed to skim through the episodes at the moment, but I have a half assed guess. 109 models that were upgraded with the newer 13mm guns in place of the old 7.92mm models had a pair of large bulged cowlings just aft of the engine to accommodate the new and larger weapons. These guns didn't become standard until I think the G-6 model though 109 during the war came in a blinding array of variants and sub-types though I don't think I've heard of a G-2 with the 13mm weapons. Still if the artists ended up using the wrong model when designing it that could explain it. (It's worth noting Wilcke flew a G-6 later in his career and was eventually killed in one)

Shimada Fumikane's character designs are the heart of the show, and it's very origin. You can't change that without tearing out it's soul.

So apparently not blatantly objectifying underage girls would "tear out the shows soul"... yeah sorry not buying that for a moment.

Quote:

It's not just about the story or characters. It's about the whole aesthetic/setting/world of the show.

Yeah I like allot of that too, but I don't consider woman running around in there underwear to be anything like a vital part of it. I think it scares off possible viewers and gives the show a reputation as nothing but mindless and blatant fan service. It's a disservice to the above mentioned aesthetic/setting/world that really could be taken seriously, if it would just take ITSELF a wee bit more seriously.

I like allot of the same stuff you mentioned above and for many of the same reasons, but when it comes to the pantlessness and some of the more eye roll inducing fan service... It's just blatant and ugly pandering to me. You're never going to convince me that it has some kind of artistic merit or reason to be included beyond a craven appeal to the most base instincts of viewers at the expense of more interesting aspects of the show (like the comedy, plot, setting, etc).

These types of fans should be able to peacefully coexist. After all, neither is a wrong angle to approach the show from.

Hopefully it goes like that.. no, it should be that way ^^

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Originally Posted by Tk3997

Oh please if the girls looked like this:

Sanya is already wearing a skirt~ She doesn't need a longer one

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tk3997

Sometimes being known for something also isn't exactly a good thing, being known for running around without pants might get you noticed, but it also gets you laughed at and dismissed out of hand by many people.

I was wondering if the other Witches from the Novels ran around in their panties?
I believe the pantlessness in the GONZO-made SW anime was about pulling an Ecchi stunt.. That way, more people would watch the show which I believe had happened. ^

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tk3997

I couldn't find any good images to compare them and honestly can't be assed to skim through the episodes at the moment, but I have a half assed guess. 109 models that were upgraded with the newer 13mm guns in place of the old 7.92mm models had a pair of large bulged cowlings just aft of the engine to accommodate the new and larger weapons. These guns didn't become standard until I think the G-6 model though 109 during the war came in a blinding array of variants and sub-types though I don't think I've heard of a G-2 with the 13mm weapons. Still if the artists ended up using the wrong model when designing it that could explain it. (It's worth noting Wilcke flew a G-6 later in his career and was eventually killed in one)

Oh I see. ^ Even the figures Minna's strikers where the only ones with these bumps. I have the Strike Witches Vol.1 Trading figure, wished i could get Vol.2 also.

btw for the reference of other people, this was the minute detail I was talking about

Although Eila's shouldn't have those bumps too.. probably just an animation error.

Edit:
Seems that the Striker unit designation for Minna's was wrong, she should have a BF109G-6

honestly I can see why most witches don't wear pants or skirts
the striker unit rises very high above the knee and its a tight fit

but it certainly is strange the even civilians don't wear pants

Would it be less controversy if everyone wore spandex instead?
Or maybe it should be like Sky Girls in which you just take off everything
above waist as well and just leave the bare minimum?

I think that wearing a formal uniform above waist draws the people
attention that there is in fact no pants. If everyone wore a bikini
pilot suit I think it would have been less controversial, ironically.

I just have a curious question to everyone. What are the reasons you watch Strike Witches?

I watched SW before becoz it was GONZO!

Its funny tho i didn't really like Gonzo's style by much coz of the over-the-top fanservice (particularly the chest size), but i watched every anime that they made (except the final one Shangri-La). Probably it was juz me trying to find a story to slam GONZO out on the forums..

I wouldn't say AIC hadn't produced anything good for the past few years...many of their animes were my favs too.

But say if its them and not GONZO that produced the first Strike Witches, i don't think it would be as enjoyable and popular as the one that GONZO made. At most it will only belongs to the same level as any other AIC's ecchi anime like Asu no Yoichi...i still remember before the first episode of SW1 being aired, the hype for it was so great, compared to now, which to me looks kinda pathetic, or maybe its just they didn't realize yet that there is SW2 coming this summer(?).

Whatever it is, SW2 popularity seems to be going down from the way it goes in this thread.I may be wrong at this anyway...